Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-05-14

snakes That Can Look Disconsoiate.
Yes, toothache is a common failing
among snakes" said Keeper John w.
Thompson. the snake-house man at the
Zoo, recently. "You would be sur
prised. One-half OF them die from
cancer in the jaw, or some place in the
head, the result Of toothache. The only
way to save their lives when they get
cancers is to cut them out. / have per-
formed quite a number of surgical OPP
eratiOnS on snakes of this kind"
The visitor gave a Shudder at the
very thought of handling anything like
a venomous serpent. "Now, here is a
snake" said Keeper Thompson, coolly
lifting the top of a case in which a
number of ugly. vicious-looking black
snakes were squirming about. "This
fellow / took the eye out Of once. III
show him to you," continued the
keeper, putting his hand down in the
case and grabbing a long black reptile
by the neck. The snakes black eyes
cleaned, and his forked tongue darted
In and out with anger.
Keeper Thompson opened a few more
cases and took out one snake after
another, with a view Of inquiring after
the state of their health, with rs much
unconcern as a man would handle so
many ten-pins. An ordinary person
would be bitten badly, perhaps fatally,
In nine cases out of ten.
"Now that animal in the case over
IN the corner-that diamond rattle
snake can't do anything with. He's
as quick as lightning. You would
hardly believe it, but you might write
a column about that snake. He has
not eaten a mouthful Of anything for
two years in consequence of an ulcer
ated tooth"
The rattlesnake did look a little dis
consulate. But his bright eyes shone
wickedly. and he looked like a bad Gus
toner. Mathematics are very heavy
in the spring. They don't often jump
for anything, but they are as stealthy
and wise as the successful politician.
and when they do make a jump they
get there.
In a careful state Of preservation,
Keeper Thompson has among his col
lection Of curiosities the skeleton of a
rattlesnake, showing the bones of the
head and body, the long fangs in the
upper jaw, the myriads of small, sharp
teeth in the lower jaw, and the cavities
through which the venom escape
when the snake bites, and the bony
cavities where the venom is secreted in
the sides Of the head. This skeleton is
really an interesting curiosity. The
keeper also has several small Walls of
crystalized snake poison. This sub
stance looks ike small. granulated par
ticles of rosin, and is deadly poison.
The ~snake-hOusc mar is thoroughly
fearless of all the dangerous reptiles
about the place. He opened a door in
the side of a ten-foot heavy glass case
and walked into wher" two ferociouS
pythons were coiled up in n corner.
These pythons arrived only a few
days ago, and have been fed only once
since their arrival on fresh killed rab-
bits. The pythons are allied to the boa
family, and have beautifully striped
bodies. One Of them is II feet long,
weighs 90 pounds, and is 30 years Old,
and the other is l3 feet long, weighs
GO pounds, and is % years old. When
they arrived in box, the keeper picked
them up IL his hands and placed them
in the case. This task involved some
peril.
The python, when aroused, Is wonder
fully swift in its movements, and a
wind a coil around a mans body and
crush him to death in a twinkling.
Their jaws, when open, measure nearly
a foot apart, and are filled with more
sharp, ugly teeth than a sharks. They
can swallow Il good-sized domestic cat
whole without any great effort and en-
Joy the feast. They live to a great age,
and only feed at long intervals.-Phila-
delphia Telegraph.
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